Flushing device.



P. W. BAssBTT a w. A. HUNTER, Jg.

rLUsHING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APB. l2. 1909. 956,875

Patented may 3, 1910 t v.rfv A. 1 .i i. n 5....?. ...if

'UNITED STATES PATENT DFFICE.

.FOSTER AYV. BASSE'IT AND WILLIAM A. HUNTER, JR., OF LOS NGELES,CALFOBNIA.

FLUSHIN G DEVICE.

Specioattcn of Letters Patent.

Application tiled April 12, '1909. Serial No. 489,535.

To all whom 'it may concern:

and WILLIAM i.. HUNTER, Jr.. both citizen geles, in the county of LosAngeles and Stute, of California, have invented a new and use- `fulFlushing Device, of which the following 2s a specification.

This invention relates to flushing devices, and the object of theinvention is to provide a flushing device which may be connected directto the service pipe supplying water under pressure and w ich may beoperated to permit the discharge of water roni the device withoutshutting ot the source of supply from the delivery pipe which suppliesthe water under pressure. l

The device is distinguished from flushing devices of the ordinary type.which employ a receiving tank and which shut oil the supply of Water tothe said tank when the lat ter has been filled.

The present device includes a tank, but

such tank'is always in communication with the supplyv pipe, and thewater in the tank is thus always'under the pressure of that in thesupply pipe. Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a verticallonfitudinal section through the device. Fi is a cross section on line:c2-wz Fig. 1.A lfig. 3 is a section on line cz--xca Fig. 1.. Fig. 4 is`a plan view of the upper end of the tank. IFig. 5 is an enlarged,vertical, longitudinal section of one of the parts.

1 designates a, tank or intermediate chamber to which water is admittedunder pressure from a supply pipe 2, the latter being in connectionwiththe usual service pipe. A cheek valve 3`is arranged in the pipe 2 und ahand valve 4 is also provided.

The tank l at its upper end is provided wit-h a cup 5 which has a. ange(i screwed into the head .of the tank 1 A cross bar 7 extends across'the top of the cu 5 und forms a Guide for a valve stem 8,' t ie latterbeing slidable therein. 'lhe cup 5 is always open to the atmosphere, butis normally closed from communication with the tank 1 by means of an airvalve 9 which is refcrablv heini-spherical as*v shown and Wliich seatsagainst the flange 6.' The valve 9 has a stem 10 which 1s frictionallymounted on thesternv 8, the amount of friction being regulated by nutl1, whereinl the valve 9 can be adjusted along the stem `8. .At thelower l end of the valve stem S is an inverted cup 12 Ba 1t known thatlWe, Fosren lV. B issrxrr i which acts as n float to operate the valve uz stem S and valve 5l, as will be explained. of the United States,residing at Los Ant The. vulve stem 8 is snlliciently long to perinitthc valve l2 (o hc adjusted into the lowcr purtof the tank, or into theupper part of thc tank. The lat-ter adjustment is shown in Fig. l andwhen so adjusted the air valve S) will open very early 1n the ilushing oeration so that the tank operates nearly lil-)te a gravity tank in thatits interior bccomes open to the atmosphere quickly and remains openduring,r nearly the whole of the flushing operation-` W'hen the valve 12is nugnsted to the lower part of the tank, the tank acts substantiallyas a pressure tank during'the greater part of the flushing 0peration, inthat the tank does not .become open to the atmosphere until nearly allo1 its water has escaped and the valve 12 has dropped to open nu' valve9.

eads from the lower end of theV part of the valve chamber 16 being inpermanent communication with the water chamber 15. The upper part of thecentral valve chamber 16 is normally out of! from communication with thewater chamber and pipe 13 by a vulve 17 which is vieldingly pressed downagainst its sent. lxtendmg longitudixmlly of the walls of the centralvalve chamber 1G is a seriesof )assages 18 (sce Figs. 1 and 2), the uper en s of which lic in a circle immediate y below the valve 17 and thelower ends of the'passages 18 opening at the bottom of the central valvechamber 1G.

'rounds a central valve chamber 16, the lower Screwed to the lower endof the water chamber '15 is the valve operating device which comprises acasing 19,'tnere being a ball valve 20 normally seated at the upper endthereof und shuttmg 0H communication between the casing 19 and the valvechamber 16 and water chamber 15. A sleeve 21 is slidable in the casing19 anda series of openings 22 are formed therein which are adaptr ed topermit water to flow therethrough into the lower part of the casing,when the sleeve 21 is in its lower position. "The sleeve 2l at its lowerend has s flange 23 above which the sleeve is grooved to receive a riim724.

which strikes against an internal depenlin flange 25in the casing 19 tosto the upwar movement of the sleeve 21. rack 26 is connected at itsupper end to the sleeve 21 and at its lower end is guided in a spider27, the rack 2G bein' operated by a seg mental gear 28 on a s iaft 29which extends throu rh the casing 19 and is equipped with a han le 3G. Apipe 31 leads from the lower end of the casing 19 and discharges thewater to a basin or other place to be flushed. A. small pipe 32 isconnected at its u per end with the cup 5 and at its lower en the ipe 32passes throu h the wall of the casing 19 and through t ic flange 25 andserves to admit air through one of the openings 22 into the interior ofthe sleeve 21.

In operation the parts normally stand as shown in Fig. 1 and when it isdesired to operate the device the handle 30 is depressed,

thereby lifting the sleeve 21 and shutting the openings 22, the sleeve21 being thus raised the cushioning ring 24 strikes the lower edge offlange 25, whereupon further upward movement of the sleeve is arrestedand i the handle is then released. As the sleeve 21 thus raises. itlifts the ball vali/e211 uriseatmg the latter from the upper end of the`casin 19, whereupon water from the water -cham r 15 enters past theball valve 20 and flows into the interior of the sleeve 21 'and as theopenings 22 are closed the water can not escape therefrom and the weightof the Water together with the force of its impact against theimperforate bottom of the sleeve 21 moves down the sleeve 21 until theopenings 22 are below the flange 25, whereupon water from the waterchamber 15 flows down therefrom, past the valve 20, into and through thesleeve 21 and out through the o nings 22 into the casing 19 and thenceto t e pipe 31; durin this flow of water the ball valve 20 whic has beenmechanically lifted by the sleeve 21 held up from its seat after thesleeve 21 has lowered by floating within the central valv'e chamber 16,its flotation therein being assisted by a partial vacuum formed withinthe upper part cf the chamber 16, which vacuum is caused by air beingsucked out through the air passages 18 by the water in flowing acrossthe lower endsof assages 18 in flowing from the water cham r 15 into thecasing 19. `As water'continues to ilow out in this manner, this suction,however, gradually weakens owing to equalization of pressure atthebottom of the central chamber 16 and the ball 2O gradually fails intoits seat again upon the up er end of the casing 19, thereby shutting ofurther flow of water. The ball is kept unseated, however, for asufficient time to enable the proper amount of water to pass out for thepur ose of Bushing, the parts being so designed that practically theentire amount of water within the tank 12 is discharged beforethe valve20 seats. It will be noted that while the valve 2O is lifted and ,eva

' mulatcs therein and this outward movement of water from the tank l1 isfacilitated by the opening of air valve 9, which is opened by movementof iloat 12, the latter moving down with the outfiowing water from thetank and as valve 9 thus o ns it permits air to enter the upper part otank 1, thereby relieving an vacuum therein. which otherwise would ormand interfere with the free outward movement of water within the tank.Assoon as the valve 20 closes, the water aecumulates in the tank 1 andlifts'the lloat 12, thereby closing the valve 9. The float 12 is made 1n'the form of an inverted cup, so that the water in lilling'in the tank lwill seal the lower rtion of the cup-like valve 12 and act to orm an airchamber within the valve 12 and compress air therein to buoy or floatthe valve 12. The pipe 32 admits air to the interior of the sleeve 21,so that after the valve 20 has seated, the water which is within the.sleeve can readily flow out without becoming air bound.`

The purpose of the valve 17 is to permit air to escape from the centralvalve chamber as the valve 20 is lifted. The diameter of the valve 2O isnearly equal to that of the `valve chamber .1 5 and when it is lifted,were it not for the valve chamber 16 it would compress the air in thechamber which would nullify the effect of'the suction which is formed byair passing out through the air assages 18.

lVhat we claim is:

1. In a flushing apparati1s,-an annular water chamber, a casingconnected with the lower end thereof, a central valve chamber surroundedby the annular water chamber, a valve normally closing communicationbe-l tween the wat/er chamber and said casing, a tank for supplyingwater to the water chamber, means for eleva-ting said valve into ow fromthe water chamber into the said easing, and means for producing);lpartial vacuum in the central va ve cham rrto hold said valve from itsseat.

water chamber, a casing connected with the lower end thereof, a centralvalve chamber surrounded by the annular water chamber,

tween the water chamber and said casing, a

casing, means for producing a partial vacuum in the central valvechamber to hold said valve from its seat, -said tank being the water isAdischarging, that the water unclosed, means for 'supplying water theretothe central valve chamber to permit water to.,-

a valve normally closing communication be-e' tank for supplying water tothe water cham. ber, means for elevating said valve into thev centralvalve chamber to permitvatr to' flow from the wat-er chamber 'into .thesaidv 2. In a. llushing apparatus, an annular nelS 0f the air pas underpnfesure, and nnangf 'for admitting air to saiit toni; iis the watertlg-ws fronibsaiil tank im() will natur i-lmmher.

3. ln a ihhing :ipgiarntiw an annular water chamber; a easingroiunwtril'with the lower ena' thereof. a central valve chamber`Surrounded Ly iheannular water chamher.

a vnlvn normally clon-ing communieation betweenhe Water chamber andsaid* casing, a tank `for Supplying water tn the water chamber, meansfor elevating said mlve. into the central valve chamber to permitJ water'to limi' frein vthe water rhznnber into the Said vv*rounding*r thevalve chamber, a series of longitui'linel air pax-sages extendingalongthe Wall of mid valve eli:unher,'the upper gef# being in@ammunication with the upper part of the valve chamber. the lon'er endsof said air passages extending to the betteln ot' the valve, chamber, aeasing at. the lower end of the water ."chamher, :t fairep normallyvclosing enmrnunisation between said eafsing' and Said water chamber,means tor nit-chameauly.A lifting sind' 'faire into the central valvechamber to permit Water to. limi: from the Water e iamber into thecasing and produce asuction through the air paseagea tending to holdsaid vaive elevated in the ventral valve chamber.' f.

Inv :1 flushing device, a central valve rhamber. an annular Weterchamber surrounding the valve chamber, a series of .lhngitudnal airpasgages extending along the wall of said valve chamber, the. uppereudsoflthe air passages being in communication with the upper part ofthel valve chamber,fthe lower enfls of said air passages eX- tending tothe. bottoni of the valve chamber,

l tam .Water therein when said sleeve-1s 1n a casing at. the lower endof the Water chambergla vlve normally closing coxmnunicationhetii'een-siiil casing and Said water chamber, means for mexfliameally'lifingsaid valve into-'the central iaife. chamber to permit water toihm' from the 'Water chamber into the easing anzi prouce a. suctionthreugh the air passsages tending to hold said valve elevatediin theCentral valve Chamber*` a cloned tank for delivering Water'to the waterchamber, means for supplying water imiter pres-:sure to said tank, a.guide at the upper fn l1 of .saii tank, a valve stem slldable m 'ahlaide. an air vaive frictionully sldable partifll central val ve chamber.

rierl on said valve, stem for opeatilr;r the. lut. I

(i. ln a flushing derive, a ventral valve Chamber, :in annular waterchamber surroundingr the valve ehainiwi` a series; of longiudin'al airpassages extending along the wall of saiil valve chamber. the upperemlsof: the air pasages being in eonununication with the upper part of thevalve chamber, the lnwer exnls 0l said air passages extending: to thebottom of the valve cnimber, a raising at the lower emi of the waterChamber, a valve normally closing Communicatiou between said erwin; andsazrl water chamber, means for nieehaninalfly lifting said Valve intothe central valve eliamber to permit water to flow from the waterrhamber into the easing and produce a suction through the air passagestending' to hold said valve eleated in the Central valve chamber, and aspring pressed valve. at the upper end of the 7. ln a llushing device, acentral valve chamber. :m annular water chamber Surrounding the valveehamber, a series ofair passages. extending longitudinally of the valvechhmber wiiii their upper ends in communication with the upper end ofthe 'valve chamber. a casing at' the lower end of the Water chamber, ahall Valve seated at the upper end of the casing, a sleeve slidable inthe casing, the sleeve having openingsin its side wall which are closedby the casing when the sleeve is in its lower position, and means forlifting the said sleeve to elevate the ball valve.

8. lu a flushing device` a central valve chamber. ail annular Waterchamber surrounding the ralve'ehalnber, a series of air .pasaagesextending longitudinally of the valve chamber with theirupper endsincomnnmieatiou with the upper' end of the Valve chamber, a casing atthe lower eind of the Water chamber, a ball valve seated' at the uppereni'l of the casingga sleeve slidable in the casing, the sleeve havingopenings in Aitsaicle Wall which are closed bv the casinv v C when thesleeve, is in its lower position, said elet-.ve havingan lmlxrforatebottomto rewater chamber, a ball valve seated at the upper end of thecasino, a. sleeve slidable in the casing', the sleeve having opemugsmits side wall which are closed by the casing when the sleeve is in itslower position, said sleeve having an imperforate bottom to re-,chambelg a easing at the lower end of the tain water therein when saidsleeve is'in raised position :1nd canse the water to depress saidsleeve, n nick screwed to the lower end of the sleeve, n segmental rrearmeshing with the rack, and a handle ihr operating the sevmentxil Gear.

10. In a' fiusiing device, a central valve ,chamben mi annular Waterchamber snrrounding,r the. valve chamber, a series of air passagesextending longitudinali of the valve chamber with their upper en s incommunication with the upper end of the valve chamber. a casino' atthe'lower end of the water chamber, alhzxll valve seated at the upperend of the casing, a sleeve slidiible m the casing, the sleeve havineropenings in its side wall which are closed by the easing when thesleeveis in its lower` position, said l sleeve having1 an imperforatebottom to rethe lower 'edge of said depending flange to limit the npwardmovement of the sleeve.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands at Los Angeles,California, this 7th dav of'April 1909.

FOSTER. W. BASSETT. WILLIAM A. HUNTER, Jn.

In presence of- ARTHUR P. KNIGHT, FRANK L. A. GRAHAM'.

m said groove and adapted 'Lo strike against

